Never Give Up
by Strgrl4eva
Summary: Team 7 wasn't perfect... but when a member of their team goes missing... they will do anything to ensure his return. Takes place before the Chunin Exam arc


_HI!!!!Alright... so this is my first real angst... wish me luck!!  
_

Oh Ps. This is not a romance... The only pairings that will be mention are the ones that are clear in the show... I always write romances so this will be new for me XD

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The summer midnight air blew soft against Sasuke's pale moon skin. The youngest member of the Uchiha clan had been walking slowly though the dense forest that dwelt around the outskirts of Konoha, framing the Hidden Leaf Village. His legs were dragging and his arms hung heavy at his sides; the strain of a long training session evident. Several beads of sweat rolled down the sides of his face, spilling off his chin.

I have to keep going, Sasuke thought. _I have to keep pushing myself. This is the only way I'll ever come close to beating him… and I will beat him. I WILL kill him. I have to. _

He clenched his left hand into a tight fist, finalizing his words. It wasn't just a fantasy or a simple delusion he was obsessed with. He would make it a reality. If it was the last thing he did… He would restore his clan and destroy the one who sent his life spiraling downwards. He was an avenger. It was his destiny.

Sometimes… just for a moment… he lay in wonder… If he could have done something different… something to keep his brother from… drifting away… Maybe if he had seen the signs, for there were signs… If Sasuke had paid more attention then maybe he could have done something. Then things could have turned out differently… Would his clan have still perished, but by different hands? Would he still have had his family… friends… his life ripped away from him? Would he still be haunted with these dreams… nightmares… bodies lying on the cold ground… blood sprinkled throughout his streets… open doors swinging in the wind leading to empty homes? Sometimes… he just wished things were… different… But that was foolish… and stupid. It's pointless to wish for things that simply cannot come true. Meaningless to wish for the past to be rewritten…

It was what happened in the past that drove him now… that kept him pushing forward. He'd seek revenge on the one who'd split his life into shambles. He'd bring to honor his muddled family's name once again. He'd prove to his father that he was worthwhile… that he was something to be proud of. He'd show the entire village of Konohagakure village exactly what it meant to be an Uchiha. That was his goal… his dream… his reason for living…

Sasuke nodded his head, nonchalantly sliding his hands into the open pockets of his white shorts. Then suddenly, as if sensing his disposition, things shifted. It wasn't that noticeable… and a normal person might not have paid it any mind. But Sasuke wasn't a normal person. He was the last remaining member of the Uchiha clan… a great shinobi warrior… and he knew something… somewhere… just felt different. Sasuke looked down concentrating his eyes on the movements across the earth… feeling for even the slightest vibrations with the soles of his feet… but sensed nothing. He turned his ears up, listening closely to the hush hum of the forest only to be met by utter and complete silence.

_It's too quiet_, Sasuke thought, lifting his head.

The moon shone brilliantly in the night sky, serving as the only light existing in the calm twilight. Tall, bold shadows of trees and brushes were cast in multiply directions… stretching up and down the forest floor. Uneasiness snuck up on him like a thief in the night. Something wasn't right… Sasuke's eyes suddenly widened upon realization.

_He was being followed._

His eyes slowly rolled from his left to his right opposing side; searching the trees for answers... There was no way of telling where they were… or even how many of them there were... A face off between unknown opponents could only end in disaster, he knew that. He might have been able to take on one or maybe two, depending on their ranks… but if there were more than that… he'd need help…

But there was no one… it was the dead of the night… Kakashi, Sakura and even Naruto had departed long ago… soon after their training session had ended. He was nowhere near town center… nowhere near his home… If he cried out who would hear him? If he ran… would he get away?

Whoever it was…they had him on his toes. He didn't want to let his guard down…not even for one second. So he kept glancing over his shoulder hoping to spot something… each time finding nothing. When we they going to attack? Anticipation began building… He could feel his hands becoming clammy with anxiousness… Sasuke swallowed as he slowly reached back with his left hand, sliding a kunai dagger from his the pouch. Sasuke grasped the cold metal in his hand, his eyes focused as he continued to search the wooded area. He had to be ready.

He had to think this one out… if they hadn't attacked yet… maybe that wasn't their goal… maybe they were just sent to watch him… follow him… even so… they'd be reveal themselves soon …

Sasuke grit his teeth.

Pausing at a tree, Sasuke closed his eyes, inhaling sharply. Then he felt them all creeping in like a fog… engulfing him… In a matter of seconds… he was surrounded. Sasuke's eyes shot open… he gazed hastily around … There were ten of them… _No…_Sasuke thought as two more shadows appeared on his left… _Twelve…_

Twelve ninja… all wearing some sort of red and grey body suits… Their faces were hidden under a thick cloth mask; the only thing visible being their cold dark eyes.

Sasuke sprawled his legs out, raising his arms in a fighting stance. His eyes continued to dart back and forth, watching each of them for a moment before turning to the other. Waiting for them to make their move… He would have called on his Sharingan by now, had he had enough chakra.

The one to his right stepped forward. Sasuke twirled his kunai around his index finger once before tightly grasping it. This was it, he thought. They were finally doing something.

"Sasuke Uchiha"

"Yeah," Sasuke asked, cocking his chin up. "What do you want?"

"You need not be afraid… we are not here to hurt you." He said in almost a whisper…

"I'll take my chances." Sasuke told the ninja.

"Our master wishes to offer you something we know you deeply desire…"

"Power"

Twelve deadly seconds ticked by, seeming like minutes… The wind blew callously about the young warriors threatening to push them away.

Sasuke blinked. His left eyebrow bent in disbelief.

"Yeah?" He asked them. "What's the catch?"

"There is no catch." the leader told him. "You simply join us… learn from us… and gain the ultimate power you desire."

"Hmpf" Sasuke scoffed. "And what do you get?

"Your Sharingan has proven… "The ninja began. "Much useful… With you… we could be unstoppable… and seek revenge upon those who have wronged us. I am certain you long for the same thing… do you not?"

Sasuke inhaled deeply, memories flashing before his eyes…

A boy quite older than him, but very much to his likeness… creases folding from the bridge of his nose , slipping down to the tops of his cheeks… long off-black bangs falling over and around powerful red eyes glowing in the dark… his lips folded in a tight scowl. _**Itachi**_

_"You've always wanted to surpass me. That's why I'm going to let you live... if you wish to kill me, then hate me, despise me... and by all means flee, cling to your wretched life."_

Sasuke blinked and he was back in the middle of the forest… the images of the strange ninja surrounding him slowly reappearing before him.

"You may not refuse." The shinobi said firmly.

"Yeah?" Sasuke asked, coming out of his daze. "And what if I do?"

"You misunderstand us, Sasuke Uchiha." The villain's voice was cold and detached. "We are not giving you a choice."

The ninja sprung up on him all at once. Fist flew as Sasuke desperately tried to dodge each of their attacks. A kick to the ribs caught him off guard and sent the young Uchiha flying backwards. He grunted as his body skidded against the rough ground. Sasuke leapt up quickly, wincing as he did so.

He rubbed his shoulder as he jumped swiftly into the air… pulling his hands up to chest and executing the proper hand signs.

"FIRE BALL JUTSU!" He called out, forming his lips into a round 'O' as flames began spilling out.

Three of the shinobi held their arms over their faces as the fire consumed him, another was thrown back into the dense forest, disappearing in-between the leaves. Sasuke breathed heavily as his feet found the floor. He didn't have much time before another attack came at him from overhead.

Sasuke jumped to the side barely avoiding the next assault. Five of the shinobi attacked him at once from all sides. He fell to his knees, his hands face down on the ground, fighting to catch his breath. He felt someone grab at him and cried out as he was hoisted up by his hair.

Something nudged his face as hot words were chucked into his ear by a dark, cold voice. "You could have made this easy Sasuke Uchiha… but now…"

He grit his teeth as he felt his body fly into the air and slew across the dirty earth.

"You're finished…"

Sasuke's screams echoed throughout The Hidden Leaf Village as jolts of electricity coursed through his small form in blinding streaks. Someone… someone… anyone… would anyone help him? Was he going to die like this? No! He couldn't die. He refused to die! His mission wasn't complete yet!! He had to-

Sasuke's mind went blank as a growing fog slowly consumed him and he slipped into unconsciousness.

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_Alright, that's it. XD Did you like it? And even if you didn't... send me a review anyways... tell what I can do to improve... just don't be mean about it. lol._

_I usually update my stories once a week... but this one... might take a bit longer...  
_


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